Shuffleboard game



Nov. 23, 1965 M. A. SMITH 3,219,349

SHUFFLEBOARD GAME Filed Sept. 8, 1964 22 a6 INVENTOR.

MARLEY A. SMITH [yam W 12 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,219,349 SHUFFLEBOARD GAME Marley A. Smith, Portage, Ind. 4981 Broadway, Gary, Ind.) Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 394,842 Claims. (Cl. 273-426) This invention relates generally to games and more particularly to a table game such as shuflieboard and the like.

The conventional shuffleboard game and the like, as well as bowling, is played on a ground level surface referred to as a board or alley, respectively. Since the object generally is to project an object such as a puck or ball from one end of the board or alley to reach or strike a goal at the other end thereof, the board or alley must be relatively long so that skill is required in projecting the puck, for example, with the right amount of force and in the proper direction to reach its goal. Consequently, the space requirement to construct such boards and alleys is large and costly. Even miniature versions of said games require a relatively large space making the use thereof in homes or small business places impractical since even if the board and alley are constructed sufiiciently within the restricted limits of a small area, the goal is not sufiiciently distant to require and display skill.

Accordingly, I have invented an improved game board for use as a shuflleboard and the like which is compact although the distance between the goal and the starting line is relatively great.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game board for use as a shuffieboard and the like which requires skill in the playing thereof.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a game board for shuffleboard and the like which is economical and simple to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, shows the preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the shufileboard embodying the features of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of this invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the end of the shuffleboard taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral designates generally my invention. It comprises a table 12 having a wide bifurcated end 14 and a narrow unitary end 16 so that the table 12 appears V shape in plan. The table 12 is therefore divided into two coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces which overlap to provide the unitary end 16. A trough 18 and a vertically raised edge 20 are provided along the perimeter of table 12 except at the unitary end 16 thereof. Extending across unitary end 16 of table 12 is a bumper means 22. Bumper means 22 is comprised of a steel plate 24 mounted on block 26 which is fastened to the top surface of table 12 at said unitary end thereof. Steel plate 24 is mounted on block 26 in a position raised from the surface of table 12 so that no foreign material may lodge between plate 24 and the surface of table 12 to provide a radius therebetween which would prevent a puck from striking plate 24 with the full force of its kinetic energy. Table 12 is supported in a raised position by a tripod base 28 having screw means 30 for adjusting the level of table 12. Fixed to block 26 of bumper means 22 is a vertically extending superstructure or housing 30 Which includes a movable frame member 32 for supporting mirror plate 34 so that the reflecting surface thereof faces in the direction to table 12. Frame member 32 is provided with support arms 36 which include nut means 38 at the distal ends thereof for screw engagement with screws 40. Screws 40 are rotatably supported by the fixed back member of housing 30 and each thereof are circumscribed by a coil spring 42, one end thereof abutting against nut 38 and the other end of spring 42 abutting against housing 30 and thereby preventing axial movement of screws 40.

Bifurcated end 14 of table 12 comprise two longitudinally extending board members or surfaces 44 and 46 which coterminate at unitary end 16, and desk means 48 therebetween. The ends of longitudinally extending board members or surfaces 44 and 46 at the bifurcated end 14 of table 12 are provided with designs 50 and 52, respectively, characteristic of the shufileboard game or the like.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The surface of table 12 is leveled by adjusting screw means 30 on tripod base 28. Mirror plate 34 is adjustably moved by means of screws 40 to reflect the image of longitudinally extending surface 44 as a continuation of longitudinally extending surface 46 when a player assumes his starting position at the end of longitudinal surface 46. The image of the shufileboard design at end of longitudinal surface 44 will be viewed in mirror plate 34 and appear at a longitudinal distance from the unitary end of longitudinal surface 46. The object of the game is for the player to slideably project puck 54 from his starting position at the end of longitudinal surface 46 toward the shufileboard design at the end of longitudinal surface 44 as its image appears in mirror 34. The travel of puck 54 will be intercepted by bumper means 22 and will cause puck 54 to rebound in the opposite direction along longitudinal surface 44 toward the shufi leboard design 50 at the end thereof. The image appearing in mirror 34 will give the optical illusion that puck 54 is progressing in a straight line toward the shuflleboard design image in the mirror. The second player using the end of the longitudinally extending surface 44 as a starting position will slideably project puck 54 toward shufileboard design 52 at the end of longitudinal surface 46, the image of which is viewed in mirror 34 as longitudinally aligned with longitudinal surface 44. A single player may play from each bifurcated end of table 12 by merely sidestepping to the other board member end.

Score sheets are supported on desk means 48 for keeping score. Trough 18, provided along the perimeter of table 12, receives puck 54 when it is slideably projected with such force and in such direction that the goal will be missed by a wide margin. This feature prevents accidental reaching of the goal by rebounding the puck from sides 20 and thereby enhances the playing of the game by requiring skill in aiming the throw of the puck and controlling the force of the throw.

Thus while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of variations and modifications. For example, trough 18 may be partially or entirely eliminated so that the goal may be reached by rebounding the puck; or the goal may comprise objects such as bowling pins and the projected object may be a bowling ball and, therefore, a ball return trough may be provided and the table be otherwise adapted to be used as a bowling alley. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself to such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A shuflleboard comprising a planar surface, one end of said planar surface being bifurcated to provide coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces, said longitudinal surfaces coterminate at the other end of said planar surface to provide a unitary end thereat, a puck freely movable on one of said longitudinal surfaces, a puck rebounding means extending across said unitary end, and an optically reflective surface mounted over said unitary end, said optically reflective surface reflecting an image of one of said coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces to appear as a continuation of the other of said coterminally extending surfaces as viewed from a playing position at said bifurcated end of said other of said longitudinal surfaces.

2. A game board comprising a planar surface, said planar surface being bifurcated delineated at one end thereof to provide coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces, said longitudinal surfaces overlappingly coterminate to provide a unitary end at said other end of said planar surface, a projectile freely movable on one of said longitudinal surfaces, a projectile rebounding means extending across said unitary end of said planar surface, and an optically reflective surface mounted over said unitary end of said coterminal longitudinal surfaces, said optically reflective surface reflecting an image of one of said coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces to appear as a continuation of the other of said coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces as viewed from said bifurcated end of said other of said longitudinal surfaces.

3. A shuflleboard comprising a planar surface, adjustably heightened legs for supporting said planar surface, one end of said planar surface being bifurcated to provide coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces, said longitudinal surfaces overlappingly coterminate at the other end of said planar surface to provide a unitary end thereat, a puck freely movable on said longitudinal surfaces, a puck rebounding means extending across said unitary end, the exterior perimeter of said coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces having a vertically extending side therealong, said longitudinal surfaces being recessed along said exterior perimeter adjacent said vertically extending side to receive and retain said puck, an optically reflective surface mounted over said unitary end of said planar surface, said optically reflective surface reflecting an image of one of said coterminally extending longitudinal surfaces to appear as a continuation of the other of said coterminally extending surfaces as viewed from a playing position at said bifurcated end of said other of said longitudinal surfaces.

4. The shuflleboard of claim 3 which is further characterized by said optically reflective surface mounted over said unitary end of said planar surface, being supported on said mount by means of screw devices which are manually rotatable to adjustably move said optically reflective surface to align the image of one of said longitudinal surfaces viewed in said reflective surface with the other of said longitudinal surfaces.

5. The shuffleboard of claim 3 which is further characterized by having a desk surface between the bifurcated ends of said planar surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,174,752 3/1965 Plentis 273-126 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SHUFFLEBOARD COMPRISING A PLANAR SURFACE, ONE END OF SAID PLANAR SURFACE BEING BIFURCATED TO PROVIDE COTERMINALLY EXTENDING LONGITUDINAL SURFACES, SAID LONGITUDINAL SURFACES COTERMINATE AT THE OTHER END OF SAID PLANAR SURFACE TO PROVIDE A UNITARY END THEREAT, A PUCK FREELY MOVABLE ON ONE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SURFACES, A PUCK REBOUNDING MEANS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID UNITARY END, AND AN OPTICALLY REFLECTIVE SURFACE MOUNTED OVER SAID UNITARY END, SAID OPTICALLY REFLECTIVE SURFACE REFLECTING AN IMAGE OF ONE OF SAID COTERMINALLY EXTENDING LONGITUDINAL SURFACES TO APPEAR AS A CONTINUATION OF THE OTHER OF SAID COTERMINALLY EXTENDING SURFACES AS VIEWED FROM A PLAYING POSITION AT SAID BIFURCATED END OF SAID OTHER OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SURFACES. 